British Royal Family No Longer The Most “Expensive” In Europe

For many years, British Monarchy was considered to be the most expensive in Europe based on the amount the Head of State receives from the taxpayers. However, that distinction now belongs to the Dutch Royal Family, which overtook the British one this year.

Professor Herman Matthijs of Ghent University has published a report on the costs of European Heads of State. In it, he notes that according to a very detailed financial reports provided by Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth has taken a pay cut, reducing the bill footed by taxpayers from £35.5 million to £29 million – a reduction of 16%.

Many other European Royal Families opted for similar cuts, including the Spanish one; King Juan Carlos, Crown Prince Felipe and other working members of the Spanish Royal Family reduced their salaries by approximately 7% each.

At the same time, the money received by the Dutch Royals has remained fixed at just over £30.5 million. The Dutch Royals are not the only ones not to opt for cuts though; none of the Scandinavian Royal Families did that either because their economies do not experience most of the difficulties the other European countries do.

According to Matthijs’ report, the most expensive European Head of State is not, however, a Monarch – it is in fact an elected Head of State. The cost of maintaining the President of France is higher than that of Dutch, British, Spanish and Scandinavian Royals combined; the running of the Palais de l’Élysée alone is nearly £90 million.

Filed under The United Kingdom
Tagged Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Finances, France, Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands.

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